Necktie bar

ABSTRACT

A necktie bar is provided which includes a roller having a flexible screen wound thereon. The flexible screen may be extended from the necktie bar to cover the necktie during eating or drinking.

iliie iaies mm 1 Miner Oct. 9, R973 [54] NECKTIE BAR 2,747,192 541956 Km 2/46 2,821,715 2 1958 Thiemig 2. 2/46 [75] 51mm 3,0s5,247 4/1963 Bixby 2/46 73 Assignee: steel Classic Neckwear corpnrafion, 3,618,138 11/1971 Retzkin 2/46 Chicago, Ill.

22 Filed: May 25 1972 Primary Examiner-Alfred R. Guest [21] A l N 256 828 Attorney-George H. Gerstman et al.

[52 us. Cl. 2/46 ABSTRACT intidCllgg A41d A necktie bar is provided which includes a roller ie 0 care ing a flexible screen wound thereon The flexible [56] R f Ct d screen may be extended from the necktie bar to cover e erences l e the necktie during eating or drinking. UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,423,581 7/1947 Clark 2/46 UX 2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures NECKTIE BAR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an improved necktie bar.

Most men who regularly wear neckties have experienced at one time or another the staining of the necktie due to spilling liquid thereon or dropping food thereon. The expensiveness of neckties presently sold makes it extremely desirable to provide some protection to alleviate the problem of ruining a necktie by liquid or food stains.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a novel device for preventing liquid and foods from staining a necktie.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a tie bar containing a flexible screen which is extensible to cover a necktie.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a necktie bar which is attractive in appearance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and which contains a flexible screen that can be extended and retracted without difficulty.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, there is provideda necktie bar of the type which clips onto a necktie. The bar comprises an elongated member and means extending from the elongated member for holding a roller. A roller is provided having a flexible screen wound thereon, the roller is carried by the holding means. Means are further provided for clipping the necktie bar to a necktie.

In one embodiment of the invention, the holding means comprises a pair of supports extending from the opposite ends of the elongated member. The roller is cylindrical and spring-operated about an axial shaft. Means are provided for connecting the axial shaft to the pair of supports.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the roller comprises an axial shaft having the flexible screen wound thereon. Handles are connected at the ends of the shaft for manual turning of the shaft.

A more detailed explanation of the invention is provided in the following description and claims, and is illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. l is a view of a man wearing a necktie bar constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of a man wearing the necktie bar of FIG. 1, but with the screen extended to prevent spilled liquid from staining his necktie;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a necktie bar constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, with a portion cut away for clarity;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view thereof;

FIG. 5 is a reduced, front elevational view of the necktie bar of FIGS. 3 and 4, with the flexible screen extended from the roller and with a portion cut away for clarity;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view thereof;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of a necktie bar constructed in accordance with the principles of another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a rear elevational view thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. I, it is seen that necktie bar 10 of the present invention may be clipped onto a necktie l2 in the conventional manner. FIG. 2 shows how, during eating or drinking, necktie bar 10 is raised to a higher position on tie I2, and flexible screen 14 is extended therefrom to cover the necktie 12.

The construction of the necktie bar shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be discerned by referring to FIGS. 3-6. Necktie bar 10 comprises a front decorative member 16 having holding means 17 and 18 extending therefrom. The holding means are connected to a housing 19 which includes top member 20 and rear member 21. A clip 28 is fastened to the back of rear member 21 to permit the necktie bar to be clipped onto a necktie.

As seen in FIG. 6, holding means 17 and 18 comprise a pair of supports extending between opposite ends of rear member 21 and front member 16. These supports carry a roller 22 having flexible screen 14 wound thereon. Flexible screen 14 is preferably formed of a transparent, water-impervious, plastic material having a suitable length to cover a necktie in the manner shown in FIG. 2. A length of approximately 14 inches would be sufficient.

Although the holding means and roller could take many forms, it is preferred that the roller be cylindrical and spring-operated about an axial shaft, such as is found in conventional window shades. A conventional window shade type roller system would be satisfactory to permit one to extend the screen 14 when desired and to retract it in the manner well-known in the window screen art. In the illustrative embodiment, the bottom of the screen has a reinforced edge 24 having a pull 26 connected thereto.

In the second form of the invention, a necktie bar is provided which comprises a housing 32 for the flexible screen 14'. The housing includes a decorative elongated front member 30 and a rear portion 33 extending from front member 30. Housing 32 is adapted to enclose roller 34 having flexible screen 14' wound thereon. Roller 34 comprises an axial shaft having handles 36 at opposite ends to permit manual rotation of the shaft.

Housing 32 defines a pair of hooks 38 at opposite ends thereof, which hooks permit the roller shaft to be supported on portions 40 of hooks 38. Hooks 38 are spaced a greater distance than the width of flexible screen 14 so that the hooks will engage the portions of the shaft away from the flexible screen.

It is preferred that flexible screen 14', like flexible screen 14, be formed of a transparent, liquidimpervious, plastic material. Screen 14 preferably has a reinforced bottom edge (not shown) which carries a pull 26'. A clip 42 is fastened to portion 33 at the rear thereof, to permit the necktie bar to be clipped onto a necktie.

It can be seen that a necktie bar has been provided which permits the user to extend a flexible screen therefrom, to cover his tie during eating or drinking. Using the embodiment of FIGS. 3-6, the screen can be spring-retracted when desired and, using the FIGS. 7-8 embodiment, the screen can be retracted manually when desired.

Although two illustrative embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that various modifications and substitutions may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the novel spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a necktie bar of the type which clips onto a necktie and includes extendable tie protector material; the improvement comprising, in combination: a roller comprising an axial shaft having a flexible screen wound thereon, said flexible screen being wound onto said roller in only one direction; a housing for enclosing the roller: said housing including an elongated from member, an elongated top member continuous with said elongated front member, and an elongated rear member continuous with said elongated top member,

said three members generally presenting an inverted U cross-section, each of said elongated members having a length that is slightly longer than the width of said flexible screen, said elongated front member and said elongated rear member cooperating to define an open bottom of said housing; said housing being constructed so as to permit said flexible screen to move only through said open bottom of said housing; means connected to opposed ends of said housing supporting said roller; handle means connected at the end of said shaft for manual turning of said shaft; and means fastened to said elongated rear member for clipping the necktie bar to a tie.

2. A necktie bar as described in claim I, in which said flexible screen is formed of light-transmissive plastic material. 

1. In a necktie bar of the type which clips onto a necktie and includes extendable tie protector material; the improvement comprising, in combination: a roller comprising an axial shaft having a flexible screen wound thereon, said flexible screen being wound onto said roller in only one direction; a housing for enclosing the roller: said housing including an elongated front member, an elongated top member continuous with said elongated front member, and an elongated rear member continuous with said elongated top member, said three members generally presenting an inverted U cross-section, each of said elongated members having a length that is slightly longer than the width of said flexible screen, said Elongated front member and said elongated rear member cooperating to define an open bottom of said housing; said housing being constructed so as to permit said flexible screen to move only through said open bottom of said housing; means connected to opposed ends of said housing supporting said roller; handle means connected at the end of said shaft for manual turning of said shaft; and means fastened to said elongated rear member for clipping the necktie bar to a tie.
 2. A necktie bar as described in claim 1, in which said flexible screen is formed of light-transmissive plastic material. 